Chronicle recommends: Kevin Mullin, District 22

CHRONICLE RECOMMENDS / State Assembly District 22

Published 7:53 pm, Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Photo: -, Kevin Mullin For Assembly

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Kevin Mullin

Kevin Mullin

Photo: -, Kevin Mullin For Assembly

Chronicle recommends: Kevin Mullin, District 22

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Kevin Mullin, a South San Francisco city councilman, was the most impressive of the dozens of new candidates for the state Legislature whom we interviewed this year. His command of the issues included a good sense of the causes and effects of the gridlock and hyper-partisanship in Sacramento.

Best of all, he came with a plan and a commitment to make the Legislature more responsive and effective. Mullin, a Democrat running for Assembly District 22, has the inside perspective of having worked as district director for Jackie Speier when she was in the state Senate and political director for his father, Gene, when he served in the Assembly.

Mullin blends an insider's knowledge with an outsider's unwillingness to accept the dysfunctional status quo.

Most newcomers land in Sacramento eager to please their party's leadership. Mullin deplored the us-against-them "caucus culture" in which working across party lines is regarded as an act of disloyalty.

One of his refreshingly bold moves has been to reach out to several Republican Assembly candidates who appear likely to win. They have been discussing a "bipartisan working group" to find common ground on critical issues.

Mullin has embraced the reform package in Proposition 31, which would force the Legislature to do more long-term budget planning and end the practice of rushing through bills at the 11th hour with no chance for public review. He rightly called the pension-reform plan put together by Gov. Jerry Brown and Democratic legislators "a pretty small bite of the apple ... a first step." He generally vowed to "bring some fiscal responsibility to Sacramento."

Facing a minimalist campaign from Republican Mark Gilham, Mullin is a lock to win the heavily Democratic district. He would join the first class of legislators elected under the new term-limit rules that allow them to serve up to 12 years in the same house. He suggested the "bumper crop of rookies" could change the climate in Sacramento.

Sacramento needs a culture change. Mullin gets it - and has expressed the will to do something about it. He gets our endorsement.

Online: All our recommendations to date can be found at sfgate.com/endorsements.

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